Westcott Street

About two dozen people took to the streets of Syracuse Wednesday to try and make it easier to get in and out of their homes. People with mobility issues and challenges can have a long wait for housing that meets their needs.

Not all of the art in Syracuse’s Westcott neighborhood was meant to be observed on an easel this past weekend. Ask any of the artists, and most will say they wanted to inspire spectators, or strike a chord with them...

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Two harpists performed inside the Westcott Community Center during Saturday's portion of the Westcott Art trail.

On Sunday, thousands gathered on Westcott Street between Concord and Dell to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the Westcott Street Cultural Fair. Intermittent downpours started around 1:30 but couldn't kill the party. Performers still sung and danced in the rain while crowds huddled and watched from the Recess Coffee porch or from the windows of the packed Petit Branch Library. According to the fair's website, nearly 8,000 people come out each year to enjoy the festivities.

The Westcott Street Cultural Fair, which takes place Sunday, Sept. 21 from noon to 6:30 p.m., began in 1991 after a group of arts-minded neighborhood residents sought to celebrate their surroundings. Westcott Street was once called the "Greenwich Village of Syracuse" for its commitment to local culture, fair organizer Sharon Sherman said.

A vacant, boarded-up mansion that held a gloomy presence over the corner of East Genesee and Westcott streets for years now shines as an example of historic preservation. The exterior of the former Babcock-Shattuck house is all but finished, and work has shifted inside. Plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling are mostly installed, and framing is ready for drywall. The Queen Anne-style house was built in 1895, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Every year, Central New York kids request popular toys during the holiday season for various reasons… maybe it’s the bright colors or the sounds they make. However, the New York Public Interest Research Group is cautioning parents to beware of parts that pose choking hazards, injuries or even lead poisoning.

Community volunteers gathered at the Westcott Community Center this weekend to continue a special project that's grown to other neighborhoods.

The Westcott Bulb Project provides thousands of the bulbs every year as part of a beautification effort that also builds community between neighbors. This year, the group gave away “thirty-six hundred” bulbs.

Project Founder Peter Wirth says that since its start in 2003, the project has become much more than a way to brighten up gardens at the end of the winter.

Several Westcott Street business owners say construction on the latest Save the Rain project in their neighborhood has brought business to a halt. Work began three weeks ago on the million dollar project, which will narrow the road, add curbs and landscaping, plus replace sidewalks…all while keeping stormwater from overwhelming the sewer system.